As 2025 begins, with Opening Day less than three months away, the Yankees are still working to complete their roster after a busy offseason. Despite the additions of Devin Williams, Max Fried, Cody Bellinger, and Paul Goldschmidt, questions remain—particularly regarding who will fill second or third base.
The team’s decision not to extend a qualifying offer to Gleyber Torres made it clear he wouldn’t be returning. As it stands, the potential starters for the infield are DJ LeMahieu or Oswaldo Cabrera, neither of whom is an ideal option for a team aiming for a World Series title. Reports have indicated that the Yankees are not pursuing top free agents like Alex Bregman or Nolan Arenado, leaving them with a couple of alternatives: signing Ha-Seong Kim, a strong defensive infielder but weak offensively, or pursuing a trade for an infielder.
One trade option the Yankees could explore is Michael Massey from the Kansas City Royals. After Kansas City acquired Jonathan India from Cincinnati, they found themselves with a crowded second base situation. Both players have discussed playing left field, but India lacks defensive expertise in the outfield, and Massey has only limited experience outside second base. With Salvador Perez likely taking up a significant portion of the DH role, it could make sense for the Royals to move Massey, especially since he’s expressed a preference against being a DH.
Massey, who will be 27 at the start of the season, will be arbitration eligible after 2025. A left-handed hitter, he tends to hit fly balls (31.6% fly-ball rate) and pull the ball (51.5% pull rate). Statcast suggests that if Massey played in Yankee Stadium, his 14 home runs from last season could have increased to 20. While he doesn’t have a massive home run total, he possesses power with a .190 ISO and has improved his strikeout rate, dropping it from 21.5% to 15.7%. His .294 OBP needs improvement, but he still posted an above-average wRC+ of 102 and a .743 OPS. Massey performs similarly against both lefties and righties, and his postseason performance, though from a small sample, included a .305 average and a .795 OPS.
Defensively, Massey has a solid track record, with 4 OAA and only three errors in 82 games, though he did miss time due to a back injury. While he lacks defensive flexibility, the Yankees could afford to carry a player who is second base-only, especially with the versatility of Bellinger and Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Cabrera as a bench option.
The Royals are reportedly looking for a middle-of-the-order bat, which aligns with the Yankees’ needs. With the Yankees potentially having bullpen depth after the signings of Williams and Cruz, they could consider offering bullpen help in exchange for Massey, especially as Kansas City could use reinforcement in that area.
While a trade for Massey might not be the most exciting move, it’s a smart, low-profile option that would add value to the team, particularly given his long-term control. If the Yankees decide to pursue a trade, they should reach out to Kansas City.
